Adele had a very, very good 2011

She owned 2011. In an increasingly fragmented music world of subgenres and earbud isolation, Adele united teens and Boomers, grandmas and hipsters, headbangers and rap fiends.

During a prolonged recession compounded by piracy, the 23-year-old British songbird managed to sell 13 million copies worldwide of sophomore album 21, a classic, Motown-kissed diary ruminating on the anguished split from her first true love.

Adele puts it best in megahit Rolling in the Deep: Turn my sorrow into treasured gold. Pain, expressed in a powerhouse voice of mature emotional depth, never felt this good or proved this lucrative.

A hum-along consensus also formed around Foster the Peoples ubiquitous Pumped Up Kicks, a quirky tune about a killing rampage that made it the years most unlikely crowd-pleaser. Equally unavoidable, though probably not as welcome in many quarters, was LMFAOs mindless Party Rock Anthem. Beyond those monster hits, the years volume of tuneage splintered across infinite playlists.

Adele was the brightest star in a year aglow with breakthroughs, especially for women. Nicki Minaj blasted into prominence with smash single Super Bass. Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Rihanna continued to annex greater chunks of the pop landscape, and Taylor Swift secured her position as countrys platinum princess, grossing $40 million with her Speak Now world tour.

Its a far cry from the record take of $736 million for U2s 360 tour. After a 14% dip in grosses last year, 2011 saw a healthy rebound in touring, according to Billboard. Promoters responded to complaints about high prices and lackluster marquees, and fans returned in droves, particularly for box-office giants Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, Swift, Kenny Chesney and Usher.

Album sales improved as well, up 2% over last year. Its the first uptick since 2004, though much of the fuel came from 2010 holdovers by the likes of Bruno Mars, Mumford & Sons, Jason Aldean and Justin Bieber.

Not that newcomers didnt make a splash! . The Ci vil Wars, J. Cole, Miguel, Hot Chelle Rae, Dev, Big Sean, Thompson Square, Christina Perri and Frank Ocean were among the years hottest rookies. They had a good year. They just didnt have Adeles year.